


The Talk

by B_Radley



Series: Becoming Fulcrum [12]
Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: A second gathering, Gen, Implied early Barrissoka, Lessons, The Talk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-11
Updated: 2018-06-11
Packaged: 2019-05-20 23:45:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,916
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14904444
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/B_Radley/pseuds/B_Radley
Summary: A Jedi Master gives someone else’s Padawan The Talk





	The Talk

Ti watches the young girl-- _no, the young woman_ \--devour the _akar_ and sweetgrass stew. The Jedi Master grins to herself. _Well, still some aspects of a young girl. You still can’t get your hands or feet near her mouth when she is feeding._

Ti remembers how many times she and her children of the Hunt had solved so many issues over burgers and root-fries at Dex’s—a place that Obi-Wan Kenobi had introduced her to, soon after he had gone to retrieve her from Shili after the second death of a padawan,

 _This is a time of joy for Ahsoka. No dwelling on the darkness of the past._ She shakes the morbid thought away, then a smile comes to her face as she thinks, _Well, maybe a little bit of pain, since the Talk’s been relegated to me_.

Her grin grows as she recalls this particular delegation. _Her Master is not too far from his own Talk_. She stifles a giggle as she thinks of Obi-Wan Kenobi stuttering and stammering his way through that particular lecture.

 _No_ , she thinks. _He’d have no problem talking about it._ He and Quin and Luminara were able to navigate these particular issues relatively easy, when they were younger. She grimaces as she recalls darker moments from their youth. Kenobi’s melancholy after he and his master returned from Mandalore—the genesis of which Ti had never learned.

Her heart clinches as her mind tracks to Siri Tachi. Both Padawans giving up each other’s happiness for duty as Jedi. Of Kenobi’s expression when he learned of Siri’s death just after First Geonosis. She shakes her head. Kenobi was younger than she by a few years, but she owes him a great deal after her second Padawan—Fe Sun’s—death. For helping to bring her back from the brink; of what she isn’t sure.

She notices a pair of large blue eyes focused on her. She smiles as she realizes that the eyes brim with compassion. Ti notices that Ahsoka’s dish is clean.

“Did you actually take the time to enjoy the stew?” Ti asks dryly.

Ahsoka looks down, sheepishly. She picks up a napkin and wipes her mouth. _Well, that’s an improvement,_ Ti thinks to herself. _Much better than her sleeve._

“Yes, Master Ti. Thank you for taking the time to make this. I only get a little jerky every once in awhile. Somehow, my Master and Rex manage to come up with it.”

Ti smiles, her mind flying back to the vision of filling a small parcel with the freshly made spicy meat, made with love by her former padawan. Shipped to whatever hellhole that the 501st found itself on. _Somehow._

“Are you ready for the gathering of your second crystal?” Ti asks.

Ahsoka smiles. “Very ready, Master,” she says. Her eyes track to the deck of the messroom. “I wish Master Skywalker could be with me.”

Ti smiles, reaching out and taking her hand. _Not much smaller, now._ “I know, little one. But I think the Elders are right to discourage Masters from accompanying padawans on their Gathering.”

“I know,” Ahsoka says. “The bond.”

“It may be that I’ll need to stay with the ship as well, Ahsoka. We have some closeness.”

Ahsoka smiles and nods. “I’ll be fine.”

Ti smiles. “Truer words were never spoken.” She takes a deep breath. “So how’re you doing, my child-of-the-Hunt?” Ti tries to ignore the look of surprise, then of suspicion in those overlarge blue windows.

“I’m fine, Master,” she replies.

Ti takes another deep breath. She catches herself as Ahsoka mirrors her. She involuntarily giggles. _Some Master,_ she thinks.

Ahsoka giggles as well, then completes the mirror by stifling the noise.

“How is your friend, young Offee?” Ti blurts out.

She is gratified to see the color shifts on Ahsoka’s lekku chevrons, as well as her features.

“She’s fine, M—.” She stops, pursing her lips.

“So is this about her and I spending so much time together when we are at the Temple? Those rare occasions?” Ahsoka asks. She looks away. “Please don’t make me watch anymore of those stupid holovids,” she says quietly, her voice small.

Ti feels her eyes widen, then her lips quiver as she tries to stifle the laughter bubbling up, from watching Ahsoka’s earnest expression.

Ahsoka has soon joined her, at least until they run out of breath. “My dear little huntress, I’m just glad that we don’t live in ancient times, where as your mother-of-the-Hunt, I’d have to demonstrate those things for you,” she says, “rather than make you watch a holovid, and give you endless lectures on attachment, like we do as Jedi.”

Ahsoka’s eyes widen. Ti can only hope she isn’t visualizing. Her and whatever partner she chooses for the ‘demonstration.’ “Really?”

“Yes. The Hunt-Mother and Father were responsible for many aspects of education of their charges, that their parents wouldn’t or couldn’t show them.”

Ti lifts her glass, suddenly wishing for anything stronger than blue milk. _Aged Corellian whisky would probably help. For both of us._

Ahsoka lets her off the hook. She looks down. “I don’t know what to say, Master,” she says.

Ti smiles taking her hand in hers again. “It’s alright, Ahsoka. I won’t lecture you. Especially in these times.”

She feels Ahsoka’s hands tighten on hers. “Ahsoka, nowhere does it say in the Code that Jedi are celibate. There are some extreme orthodox Masters who believe that. I’m not one of them. We just need to prepare ourselves for when these, well, ‘ _itch-scratchings’_ , as certain Corellian ex-Padawans refer to them, don’t become distractions. That they don’t become unhealthy and obsessive.”

Ahsoka looks up at her. “I know, Master. Barriss, and I, we—.” She stops, closing her mouth.

Ti allows her silence, then speaks. “It’s okay, Ahsoka,” she repeats. “Whatever you say to me will remain with me, within reason.” Ahsoka’s eyes widen at the last. Ti grins. “If I think you’re about to turn to the Dark Side, then the confidentiality of the conversation goes out the porthole.”

Ahsoka nods, relieved. “Barriss and I haven’t had a lot of times together, Master Ti. Maybe a handful. It’s good to talk to her about things.” She looks down. “The last time we were together, we were just so glad to see each other alive and well. As well as we could be.”

Ti is silent, but gives a gentle smile, waiting on her lead. Ahsoka takes her hands and places them in her lap, almost primly.

“I don’t know who started. I guess you could say that we started practicing.” She looks anywhere, but at Ti. “K-kissing, that is.”

Ti’s smile grows wider. Ahsoka’s eyes narrow at the expression. “No, Ahsoka. I’m not laughing at you. I’m just remembering.”

Ahsoka’s eyes reverse course, and widen. “You?”

Ti rolls her eyes. “I’m not decrepit, in spite of what you and Croft and Elle might think.” A smirk grows over her face. “I could teach any one of you a move or two,” she finishes.

She is rewarded with a blush and lekku-chevron shift, before a capital Smirk grows over most of the young woman’s face. “I’m sure, Master,” Ahsoka says dryly.

“I just want you to be careful, Ahsoka. I can’t protect you from hurt and pain; all that I can do is prepare you, just in case. Especially if it progresses anywhere beyond ‘kissing practice.’

Ahsoka nods, her expression very serious. Ti allows herself a bit of pain at the memory of another earnest face, another young woman ruminating over this conversation.

She pushes Fe Sun’s remembered face from her thoughts. She concentrates on the faces of her living, including this one. “Concentrate on staying in the light. That’s the best advice I can give you. It’s the advice that Obi-Wan wanted you to get.”

“Obi-Wan? Not Anakin?” Ahsoka asks.

Ti smiles. “Your master has a great deal on his mind. He is not much older than you. I’m sure he would get around to this, but it might be better if you’ve been prepared for it.” She looks down her nose at Ahsoka’s giggle, then joins her.

Ti’s face hardens a tiny bit. “If you do find that you want to experiment with someone other than Padawan Offee, say, some Togruta hunter that catches your eye, then this might become more of a insistent conversation. One that Master Che will become involved in,” she says, mentioning the Chief Healer.

Ahsoka looks panicked. “What? No, Master!” she exclaims. The blush intensifies. “Master Che has already threatened, uh, _counseled_ me on that.”

Ti breathes out. “Good,” is all that she says. “It helps that Togruta don’t hybridize easily—,” she starts.

“Master, with all due respect, I know this.”

Ti lets her off of any hook. She visualizes the bottle of whisky that will be her due from Obi-Wan, for this one.

A light blinks on the far bulkhead. Ti smiles. “Coming up on Ilum. Come on, my fierce little huntress. Time for you to earn your passage. I want to see what being the Padawan of our most promising pilot has taught you.”

“How to make crashing look good?”

As their laughter subsides, Ahsoka bows to Ti. Ti ignores her and pulls her close. “I don’t know if I can give you good counsel on attachment, Ahsoka. Especially with what you have to do on a daily basis in this war. Just search your feelings. They’ve done you credit, always.”

As Ahsoka pulls her tightly to her, Ti curses herself for the trite phrasing. For the platitudes.

+=+=+=+=+=

Ti watches Obi-Wan’s image listen intently as she recounts the conversation, leaving out any privileged information from Ahsoka. As she finishes, Kenobi nods.

“Thank you, Master Ti,” he says. “I figured that something was bothering her, from some of the feelings during meditation. I’m glad you were able to talk to her. As well as willing,” he says, looking down.

“Tell Anakin that he owes me.” She grins. “Not too much, though. I enjoyed catching up with her. She’s about to explode with joy at her new shoto. Huyang is pleased.”

“What about that other thing?” Kenobi asks.

“We’ll talk about her new combat clothing. Something that still speaks to her heritage, but more practical. If she had to fight in a robe, with you as an example, she’d exhaust her allowance in a month.”

“Maybe even a week,” he says as he joins her laughter.

Later, in her quarters, Ti thinks of her words. She wonders if she still even can follow the strictures against attachment. She checks her chronometer, punches up a certain code.

The holocomm activates immediately. A young woman, her features tired, her hair sleep-tousled over the comm, instantly comes awake. Her lips and eyes brighten with a smile.

Even in the bland, fuzzy image, Ti can see her eyes transition to a darker color. She reaches up with one hand and combs it through her curls. “I must look a fright, love,” she says.

Ti’s feels her own smile grow over her features. Certain ex-padawans with colorful vocabularies would describe her expression as a shit-eating grin.

“Never, Dani,” she says. “You’re just what I needed to see this day.”

The young woman’s smile turns a bit devilish. She drops the sheet held up to her chest. Ti visualizes the vivid crimson skin and black eyes; the charcoal and blue hair.

Ti thinks of what this war is doing to them all.

She suddenly doesn’t mind this particular result.


End file.
